Outlook for Acrylic Acid Market Trends in the Post-Holiday Period of 2026

[Introduction]: Before the May Day holiday, the domestic acrylic acid market continued its volatile and declining trend. The price in East China was 9250 RMB/ton, a decrease of 950 RMB/ton or 9.06% compared to the previous cycle. On the supply side, pressure increased as major units ramped up operating rates. Downstream buyers were cautious in purchasing, resulting in a light trading atmosphere and continuous price declines. Industry profits narrowed rapidly. It is expected that the acrylic acid market will likely continue to operate weakly after the holiday.

1. Market Review (April 27 - April 30)

Table 1 Domestic Acrylic Acid and Related Products Price List

This week, the acrylic acid market continued its volatile and declining trend, with the overall center of gravity shifting downward. Taking East China as an example, the price range was 9200–10100 RMB/ton, a decrease of 950 RMB/ton or 9.06% compared to the previous cycle. During the week, acrylic acid units at major enterprises such as Yantai Wanhua and Shanghai Huayi successively increased their operating rates. The industry capacity utilization rate recovered somewhat, and spot supply in the market increased correspondingly. Against the backdrop of intensified supply-side pressure, acrylic acid plants and holders showed a strong willingness to sell, and low-priced goods emerged continuously, further depressing the market negotiation center. Downstream factories generally held a bearish outlook on the future market, adopting a cautious procurement stance, mainly maintaining small-lot purchases for essential needs. The overall trading atmosphere was mediocre. Affected by this, prices of downstream products such as Refined Acrylic Acid, Butyl Acrylate, and Hydroxyethyl Acrylate also declined to varying degrees, with Butyl Acrylate experiencing the most significant decrease. Overall, prices across the acrylic acid industry chain weakened simultaneously this week, showing a volatile downward trend without substantive positive support in the short term.

2. Data Analysis

Table 2 Domestic Acrylic Acid and Related Products Data List

Driven by the increased operating rates of acrylic acid and butyl acrylate units at Yantai Wanhua and Shanghai Huayi, the operating loads for both acrylic acid and butyl acrylate industries rose simultaneously. Specifically, the capacity utilization rate for the acrylic acid industry was 81.42%, up 2.83 percentage points from the previous week. The market continued its weak downward trend, compressing industry profits to 1841.15 RMB/ton. For butyl acrylate, the industry capacity utilization rate increased to 61.62%, up 0.22 percentage points from the previous week. Spot supply in the market was ample. Downstream players held a strong wait-and-see attitude. Low-priced goods emerged continuously. End-users only maintained essential inventory replenishment with a cautious purchasing stance. The market negotiation center declined in a volatile manner, and industry profits also narrowed to 187.69 RMB/ton.

3. Post-Holiday Trend Outlook

Table 3 Domestic Acrylic Acid Data Forecast List

A sentiment survey conducted by chempricehub Info on April 30 regarding market participants' post-May Day expectations for the domestic acrylic acid market showed that overall market sentiment leaned towards cautious bearishness. Specifically, the bearish proportion dominated at 62%, while the bullish proportion was only 23%, and the stable proportion accounted for 15%. Players holding a bearish view believed that support from the cost side faces further weakening risks: the raw material propylene is likely to continue its weak trend after the holiday, making the cost center prone to decline rather than rise. Meanwhile, plant inventories will accumulate during the holiday period. After the holiday, acrylic acid plants and holders may adopt a flexible, slightly concessional pricing strategy to alleviate inventory pressure. From the demand side, downstream performance remains generally lackluster, lacking concentrated purchasing momentum. Most enterprises maintain cautious, need-based procurement with insufficient willingness for active inventory building.

It is expected that after the holiday, the acrylic acid market will likely maintain a pattern of narrow and weak volatile consolidation. On the cost side, expectations are strong for a volatile decline in the raw material propylene market, with the cost center continuously moving downward, weakening support for acrylic acid prices compared to the previous period. Against this backdrop, acrylic acid plants and holders are offering flexibly with an active willingness to sell, and low-priced goods in the market may increase. However, demand-side performance remains weak. Bearish sentiment among major downstream industries such as acrylate esters and specialty esters is further heating up, leading to conservative procurement strategies. They mainly insist on need-based, small-lot replenishment with very limited willingness for active stocking or bulk purchasing. Overall, the market lacks substantial positive drivers, and the supply-demand contradiction is difficult to effectively alleviate. Therefore, it is highly probable that the acrylic acid market will continue its weak trend after the holiday. Participants are advised to monitor raw material prices and downstream stocking dynamics.